User Modelling ID 405 Human-Computer Interaction

Ascending and Descending By M. C. Escher 1960

Mental models and program/design models Users’ mental model Designers’ program model

What you are up against… -a mental model is what the user believes about the system at hand (belief, and not facts) -individual users each have their own mental model (different users, different models) -mental models are in a flux (users are bound to update models with experience) -users suffer model inertia* -mental models are simple (if design model is nontrivial, it's probably not the user model)*

Let’s see some examples… -the word "Google" is usually the top query at other search engines, and words like "Yahoo" and "Bing" score high on Google -Why do people search for a website if they already know its name? Why not just type, google.com into the URL field?

Let’s see some examples… Users don't just confuse search fields; many less tech-savvy users don't understand the differences between many other common features: Operating-system windows vs. browser windows A window vs. an application Icons vs. applications Collapsible/expandable views Single-clicks vs. double-clicks Local vs. remote info …

Let’s see some examples… -Netflix queue vs. shopping cart -Picture embedding in a word processor vs. WYSWYG HTML editor

Let’s see some examples… -When people have to guess how a program is going to work, they tend to guess simple things, rather than complicated things

Let’s see some examples… -When people have to guess how a program is going to work, they tend to guess simple things, rather than complicated things

Let’s see some examples… -In Microsoft Windows the Alt+Tab key combination switches to the "next" window -Most users would probably assume that it simply rotates among all available windows -If you have window A, B, and C, with A active, Alt+Tab should take you to B. Alt+Tab again would take you to C -Actually, what happens is that the second Alt+Tab takes you back to A. The only way to get to C is to hold down Alt and press Tab twice. -It's a nice way to toggle between two applications, but almost nobody figures it out, because it's a slightly more complicated model than the rotate-among-available- windows model

So what can we do? In case of a mental model mismatch, you basically have two options: -Make the system conform to users' mental models -Improve users' mental models so that they more accurately reflect the system

Personas -Personas are archetypes that describe various goals and observed behaviour patterns among your potential users and customers -A persona encapsulates and explains the most critical behavioural data in a way that designers and stakeholders can understand, remember and relate to -Personas use storytelling to engage the social and emotional aspects of our brain, which helps us to visualise and empathise with the user in a vivid and direct manner

Personas Katie Bennet, digital camera user from Designing for the Digital Age: Creating Human-Centred Products and services by By Kim Goodwin (pp.230) -Set of goals -Mental model -Environment -Skills -Frustrations -Likes & dislikes -Attitudes -Typical tasks -Behaviour patterns -…

What personas are -Personas are fictional characters but distilled from real data you gathered from actual users (data driven & not based on assumptions) -They are based on what users do and why they do them (actions, goals, motivations & behaviours) -Sound personas emerge from good data, rigorous analysis, and compelling human presentation

What personas are NOT -Creative writing exercises with photos and fictitious biographical details -Market segments -averages Segment size and value Demographics Skills attitudes and behaviours Mental models and goals Market segments Personas always have May have

What personas are NOT -Creative writing exercises with photos and fictitious biographical details -Market segments -averages Segment size and value Demographics Skills attitudes and behaviours Mental models and goals Market segments Personas always have May have

Structure of a persona 1.Use a photo for your persona. A good photo is key to making the persona believable and convincing.

Structure of a persona 1.Use a photo for your persona. A good photo is key to making the persona believable and convincing. 2.Give your personas names. Refer to them by those names. Avoid silly or alliterative names. Also avoid placing your persona in a category (like “Stay-at-home- Mom”). Silly names and categories allow people to stereotype the persona, and thus treat them as an other, not as someone potentially just like themselves.

Structure of a persona 1.Use a photo for your persona. A good photo is key to making the persona believable and convincing. 2.Give your personas names. Refer to them by those names. Avoid silly or alliterative names. Also avoid placing your persona in a category (like “Stay-at-home- Mom”). Silly names and categories allow people to stereotype the persona, and thus treat them as an other, not as someone potentially just like themselves. 3.Highlight personas key behaviors and motivations. In order to deliver a great user experience, you need to understand why people would engage with that experience, and how they would go about it.

Structure of a persona 4. Include basic demographic information. But only to the degree that helps a reader better understand who your persona is. Age, income, occupation, marital status can be informative.

Structure of a persona 4. Include basic demographic information. But only to the degree that helps a reader better understand who your persona is. Age, income, occupation, marital status can be informative. 5. Provide key statements in the persona’s voice. This statement might be something you heard in a research interview, or it might be a fabrication. The quote will allow others to see a distinct person.

Summary -User research is primarily about empathy — getting designers and developers to have empathy for their users, and be able to deliver products and services that really appreciate the users’ needs and goals -And personas are perhaps the best tool in the user- centered design toolbox for communicating empathy — they feel like real people with real concerns, and when crafted well, can transfer insights realized through research to other members of the project team

Summary -User research is primarily about empathy — getting designers and developers to have empathy for their users, and be able to deliver products and services that really appreciate the users’ needs and goals -Personas are perhaps the best tool in the user-centered design toolbox for communicating empathy — they feel like real people with real concerns, and when crafted well, can transfer insights realized through research to other members of the project team